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pulp

pulp [p큼lp] v. crush into a soft, shapeless mass; to reduce to a pulp

/ E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F /

Jacqueline Mok / WR I T E R S /

Kimberly Barton Joanna Braund Julide Cakiroglu Gina Duque Jess Gardner Emily Fister Kasia Knap Keely McCavitt Mark Oberemk Jag Raina Stephanie Stehr / C O P Y E D I TO R /

Matthew Palmer / THANK YOU /

American Apparel City Lights Bookshop Hot Dog Musique & Cinema Arts & Humanities Student Council Department of Visual Arts facebook.com/pulpartsmag pulpartsmag@gmail.com 4

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in this issue: 7

The Annual Juried Exhibition: Showcasing Undergraduate Diversity

At the Museum: Contemporary Interpretations On War and Conflict

Western What?

Good Habits: Benefiting You and the Environment

A To-Do List for Single Folk

Amity Beach: Small Town Paradise

a moment with Danielle Fricke

inside the mind of Jesse Jacobs

Treasures of Colombia: Museum of Modern Art of Cartagena

pulpprofiles: Lido Pimienta & Robert Williams

Warming Up To Sultry Sounds

a commentary on SOPA, Piracy, and Freedom of Speech

Larry Towell: Displacing Identity

behind the scenes of the major student exhibition

details on the current exhibitions at Museum London

a response to the recent changes at UWO

easy tips to reduce waste and increase your awareness

rewinding back to Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day and taking another approach

an emerging band from the neighbouring Huron County

one of Westernâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students on her art and music

uncovering answers behind his first released comic book

a personal recollection from South America

a new <pulp> feature presenting local talents

music selections to turn up the heat

following the most recent incidents of online censorship

a in-depth read on the first Canadian Magnum Photos photographer

issue no.3 / march 2012

Local Exhibitions Rhythm and Optically, Mike Hammer Michael Gibson Gallery / Feb 10 to Mar 3 Opening Reception: Thu Feb 16 at 7pm Canadian-born Mike Hammer takes inspiration from abstract artists such as Jackson Pollock and Gerhard Richter. Using squeeze bottles as a method to apply the paint from a distance, this collection exhibits works that are heavy in pattern and texture appealing to our sense of vision. IMAGE COURTESY OF MICHAEL GIBSON GALLERY

Not For Sale

Forest City Gallery / Feb 24 to Mar 2 Closing reception: Fri Mar 2 from 7-10pm Forest City Gallery’s Annual Members’ Show has a twist this year. Members were invited to submit personal work that they would be reluctant to sell. The result is an exhibition featuring cherished works from 45 artists with unique reasons for their creation and relation to its creator. IMAGE COURTESY OF FOREST CITY GALLERY

Cohen Project

artLAB / Feb 28 to Mar 1 Opening Reception: Tue Feb 28 from 5-7pm With support from the Cohen Explorations Program, the art installation students at NSCAD and UWO have joined together to create site-specific works. Currently featured at the artLAB and Concourse Gallery is the “idea laboratory”, with a final exhibition in Halifax at the Anna Leonowens Gallery in April. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTLAB

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The Annual Juried Exhibition: Showcasing Undergraduate Diversity Jag Raina The Annual Juried Exhibition is one of the most popular exhibitions that is organized by the Department of Visual Arts at the University of Western Ontario. Now in its tenth year, the AJE is a way to showcase the talent of Undergraduate Visual Arts students. Students showcase their work around the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre for preliminary judging, in hopes of being accepted into the AJE. The chosen jury members embark upon the difficult task of selecting which artworks will be shown in the AJE. The five jury members consist of a guest from the outside art community, one faculty member, one staff member, one PhD student, and one MA/ MFA student. Some of the jury members for this year’s AJE include the director of Forest City Gallery Julia Beltrano, faculty member Chris Myhers and Judith Rider of the McIntosh Gallery. Over 85-140 works are submitted, and the jury selects anywhere from 30-50 works. Multiple prizes are awarded, such as the People’s Choice Award, a one year subscription to Canadian Art magazine, and a Forest City Gallery exhibition opportunity. Selecting the work for the exhibition is a strenuous process, as the jury members look at a range of different qualities including creativity, originality, inventiveness, technique, content, and aesthetic quality. Susan Edelstein is Gallery Director of the ARTlab, where the AJE is held. I sat down with Susan to learn more about her work as a curator and her work with the AJE. When organizing all of the work selected for the AJE Susan says the process can be challenging as the exhibition is unthemed, and the artwork ranges from first to fourth year students. The jury includes work that spans all years in order to have a fair and diverse representation of the whole department. Another one of Susan’s tasks as curator is to try and make all the works look as visually appealing as possible. This can be a tough yet rewarding experience, especially with a non-thematic group exhibition. The time constraints are also an obstacle which Susan deals with. “You have 24 hours to put the works together. It’s definitely a challenge,” she says. Despite the work that comes with it, Susan says that helping set up the exhibition is always rewarding and to see all of the student work is truly an enriching experience. The AJE’s opening night was Thursday February 2nd with opening remarks by Chair of the Department of Visual Arts, Joy James, as well as Susan Edelstein. The show is a tremendous success, featuring a diverse collection of art, ranging from photography, prints, video, installation, sculpture, painting, and drawing. Some of the winners of the night include fourth year BFA student Emily Crawford, third year Visual Arts Kasia Knap, and the People’s Choice Award winner, fourth year BFA student Solafa Rawas to name a few. When asking Susan what she believes lies ahead for the AJE in the upcoming years, she hopes that the work level of this caliber will continue to be honoured and showcased in the future, and that it continues to remain an exhibition full of positive and enriching experiences. The AJE will be on the display until Friday February 17th, and is definitely an exhibition not to miss out on. issue no.3 / march 2012

Local Exhibitions The Dog Show

The ARTS Project / Mar 6 to Mar 10 Opening Reception: Tue Mar 6 from 6-9pm Love dogs? Small dogs, big dogs, mutts and show dogs galore! Ten artists have created work all about their best friend in the form of painting, sculpture, and wearable art. Artists will be in attendance at the opening reception. IMAGE COURTESY OF THE ARTS PROJECT

MainStreaming #pomo artLAB / Mar 8 to Mar 22

Opening reception: Thu Mar 8 from 5:30-7:30pm At this exhibition, UWOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gallery Practices class explore hipster culture within the context of social media, and discuss the complexities that have emerged as a result of the increasingly mainstream nature of this so-called subculture. IMAGE COURTESY OF UWO GALLERY PRACTICES

(Sir)ogates, Julian Forrest

Forest City Gallery / Mar 16 to Apr 27 Opening Reception: Fri Mar 16 at 7pm Julian Forrestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fascination with pop-culture representations of men are featured in this collection at Forest City Gallery, in an allegorical sense as well as literal. Through reinterpretating mass-consumed imagery, Forrest is interested in creating ironic narratives revolving around themes of power, tension, individuality, and place. IMAGE COURTESY OF FOREST CITY GALLERY

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At the Museum: Contemporary Interpretations On War and Conflict Joanna Braund As the maple leaf flag is removed from the unfinished war in Afghanistan, it is a good time to reflect on the many years of conflict and ask why. Museum London’s current war-focused exhibitions are thought provoking and present alternative representations of a very controversial war. The subtleties of the works engage an audience that has been desensitized by graphic portrayals and glorification of war. The three spaces cover a variety of mediums and perspectives: “Front by Front” features work by female artists that reinvents the leftovers of conflict, Larry Towell’s “Danger and Aftermath” displays his mostly black and white photos of war-torn environments, and “Battleground: War rugs from Afghanistan” shows how war has been woven into the cultural reality of the Afghani people. When I heard that the Museum was focusing on war I expected the exhibitions to be either educationally focused with little formal artistic consideration, or be compiled of very confrontational and grotesque “newsworthy” images. Though there were feelings of discomfort about the work, it was clear that they took a different approach. The pieces are beautiful and well executed in terms of composition and form, but there is also a profound message of pain, loss and waiting. Hearing and seeing the waiting and yearning of artists, soldiers, and civilians for war to be over had a greater impact than any of the news images that I have become numb to. In “Front by Front” Ambereen Sidique work entitled “Lying in Wait” has many voices speaking together to share what they are waiting for. They say they are “waiting for them to say that the next five years will be bad”, “waiting out loud and in silence”, and “if only we knew how to avoid being bombed.” There are other works that ‘wait out loud’ such as Larry Towell’s “US Military Bathroom Graffiti,” which shows the both deep and vulgar scrawl of soldiers in their private moments. The soldiers write their conversations with God, and complain about American politics but on every wall there are soldiers who are desperately waiting to leave and exclaim, “two months left of this hell hole.” There are also works that relayed this message in a more silent matter such as Anna Wiselgren’s “Exile 2011” – a pile of purple stuffed balls that at first look fun and inviting but with close examination there is something sinister about them. The chilling bloodstains and wear marks on the balls speak of the Tibetan conflict as the balls are constructed from worn out hospital bed sheets. The remnants of war are reinvented and make an impact even without confrontation or glorification. The feat of these exhibition spaces is that they speak about war in so many ways and from so many perspectives. The voice of Afghanistan is portrayed as waiting for what they have hardly known—peace has been promised through the years of turmoil. War is shown as ingrained in their identity as helicopters blend into the traditional patterns of their rugs. The photos and rugs display the history of war and its inseparability from everyday life. The aftermath of war is extensive and persists far beyond any period of waiting for peace.

issue no.3 / march 2012

Western What? Jacqueline Mok In attempt to attract more international students, The University of Western Ontario was renamed WESTERN’S COAT OF ARMS VERSUS THE NEW DESIGN Western University in January 2012. Intended for marketing purposes only, the university still retains its former name on official documents, such as transcripts. Accompanying the new identity is a logo change, a custom-design font, and a slight change in the shade of purple used in promotional products. Though the process of rebranding is not a foreign concept, Western’s changes do not seem completely necessary. Now, the question remains: will their motives be successful? The university was originally founded as The Western University of London Ontario in 1878 and was renamed to The University of Western Ontario in 1923. And now, after almost a hundred years of establishment, the administration has chosen to rename the school to Western University. Consider the name from the perspective of a prospective international student: Western University – west of what? It is completely devoid of any geographical notation, aside from the possibility of being in the Western hemisphere. To be geographically accurate however, the university is actually on the Eastern side of Canada. Though UWO has always been colloquially known as “Western,” having the simple name of Western University strips the academia of its rich history and association to Ontario, let alone Canada. There are also other “Western Universities” that exist in other parts of the world. The new name is completely misleading, generic, and confusing to people that are foreign to this country. On top of this, the most astonishing fact was the apparent lack of surveying from the administration. This rebranding process has been stated to be in the works for two years, yet many students have only recently learned about it. As well, alumni of the school have reacted negatively to the changes, and they are key people that promote the university freely out of pride. The university is at risk of losing this large group of people that advertise UWO and donate funds to the university. Has the administration forgotten to consider the reaction from their own before attempting to appeal to others? It is hard to take the university seriously after hearing of this rebranding exercise. It is as if they have something to prove to people and the answer to this is a name change versus focusing on improving the institution and its education. Is this something that the University of Toronto or the University of British Columbia would try to do? It would seem outrageous, when a university’s reputation is comprised of so much more than any geographic indicator found in a name. Besides, these institutions that have established respect should feel pride in their location. Thinking about the copious amount of money that went into funding this project is also a sad note, when funds are being cut from salaries and other university departments and programs. It has been quoted that $200,000 was spent towards this project and it all seems very unnecessary and vain. Time will tell how successful it is, but if current public reactions are any indication, the only success the university will gain is becoming good for a few internet memes at their expense. 10

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Good Habits: Benefitting You and the Environment Jessica Gardner When it comes to being environmentally conscious, I am far from calling myself Ed Begley Jr., and I am not going to overbear you with facts and numbers to make you feel obligated to change the world. However, I do want to acknowledge that you can become more environmentally friendly by simply adapting a few new habits. Yes, habits, regular behaviours that eventually become involuntary. No inconvenience to you and your busy (or lazy) lifestyle! To begin, I would like to stress the relevance of the term “reusability”: to use something that has already been used. This is the most important habit that you can embrace and use towards sustainability. Garbage constantly accumulates, and humans produce it in massive proportions. I don’t believe many people actually visualize the outcome of this agglomeration. To help with this envision, I suggest watching Mike Judge’s satirical film Idiocracy, a comedy that portrays an extreme (yet quite possible) result of humanity’s laziness and neglect with garbage. So to help prevent our world from literally turning into a dump, why not reuse? The first item I suggest reusing is an item that helps make our most important resource and necessity transportable: the water bottle. Ask yourself: “why do I purchase bottled water in plastic, throw it out, then buy more?” If you are concerned about clean water, purchase a water filter and fill up your bottle every day. The best part of this is that you will save money, while simultaneously reducing waste that is caused not only from the plastic bottles themselves, but from the waste produced in making them. Next, I suggest reusing a similar item that allows hot beverages to be transportable: the mug. Stores that sell hot and caffeinated beverages, such as Tim Hortons, get a lot of customers, and for each customer a cup is produced and thrown away. That’s a lot of cups! Why not purchase a reusable mug to help reduce waste? Some places even give you a discount for your mug usage, so along with benefiting the earth and your conscience, you are also benefiting your bank account little by little. The last item I will suggest reusing is one that is highly associated with the consumer world that we live in today: the bag. This is probably the easiest and most ideal item to reuse, yet everyday new ones are produced and thrown out. If you go out to purchase something, bring a bag. Yes, one day you might find yourself without one, but there is no need to feel guilty, reuse the plastic bag you get as a garbage bag, or create other uses for it with your charming imagination. Consider my advice and practice some good and convenient habits that benefit you and the environment, and don’t be afraid to promote them to others. Just remember that every little effort helps to contribute to a world that will leave more room for imagination, creation, and growth; rather than being consumed by leftovers and desolation. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET MORE INVOLVED, VISIT: WWW.USC.UWO.CA/ENVIROWESTERN PARTICIPATE IN ENVIROWESTERN’S “REFILL TO WIN” CONTEST THIS MARCH TO FURTHER SHOW YOUR SUPPORT

issue no.3 / march 2012

A To-Do List for Single Folk Julide Cakiroglu Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and if you’re anything like me you’re doing preemptive facial exercises to pull off a convincing “I never noticed” look. But just in case you catch yourself staring off longingly into space, here are some activities to fill up your time.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT AND FORGET ABOUT VALENTINES DAY

1. I’m no fortune-teller (or…?) but I can predict that right now you’re as single as Oprah Winfrey while everyone around you is in blissful coupled paradise. Look no further, I have just the fix for you; live vicariously through your friend’s relationships. Ask your friends to describe every square inch of their love life. Remind them no detail can be too personal. Tell them true friends also bring you artifacts and audio/video footage of their love.

2. Try Internet dating. I mean why not right? I know you’ve been eyeing that Geek 2 Geek ad that has been following you on Youtube (how does it know?). After dodging a bullet with “Renaissance Alien” and “gaming4you,” (this is no humourous fib here), I’m sure you’ll find that perfect blend of offbeat and approachably sane. 3. Pre-order unnecessary items of commercial love. This one requires a bit of legwork but is totally manageable. It has never been easier to send yourself chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals, and edible underwear. Treat this time like a second birthday that only you got invited to. It’s your party and you will cry if you want to. 4. Be a Valentine’s Day hater. The possibilities are endless here. Trolling Facebook cuteness, booing at restaurants, tweeting facts about STIs… Go crazy! Even better: start a league of haters and have a party. Celebrate cats, independence, and facial hair. 5. Accept unabashed and total loneliness. Hey, lonely has needs too and it wants a hug. Why not tuck yourself in bed with it and watch everything from Gone with the Wind to (500) Days of Summer. Lonely is also hungry and wants to be fed delicacies like cheese-whiz covered brownies and vodka infused pizza (delicious!). 6. Take a shot for each time the word love is mentioned in this article. See where the day takes you. Love love love love love. That should keep you busy.

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Amity Beach: Small Town Paradise Emily Fister If you live in rural Huron County, Ontario, you want to be from the bodacious beaches of Grand Bend. For the five young members of indie pop-rock outfit Amity Beach, this cozy tourist town has both inspired their sound and their outlook. “I think the geography of [Huron County] has encouraged us to get together and play music because there isn’t necessarily a whole lot to do around here,” explains Geoff Baillie, lead singer and guitarist. While some kids go “muddin’” (Huron County slang for tearin’ up the fields with your pick-up truck), the Amity boys spend their time as part of a creative collective. With Eternal Bummer Records, spearheaded by local music mogul Ivan Raczycki, a new breed of bands has come out to play. The tight-knit community features some of the county’s up-and-coming musicians, such as Stuck Out Here and Grant McMillan, and offers a new avenue for small town support. “A couple of us in the band have been doing a bit of collaborative work with some friends of ours who wrote a play,” Baillie says. “We’ve been working out some tunes to be used to score the play, which we’re really excited about.” Amity’s score-worthy sound is confident and distinct. One part Toyko Police Club in training, another part Beach Boys-esque sun and sand, the group showcases diversity on their self-titled debut EP. “Jake’s Version of Paradise” has quickly become a crowd-pleaser, with its staccato keys and upbeat bridge filled to the brim with brass. “I was interested in the idea of each person having their own version of paradise, like a vision of a place where they can be happy,” Baillie explains, citing a budding small town romance as this little slice of sonic paradise. Even though they’re still on the quest for more widespread success, the London music scene has already embraced the promising group. With press coverage from The Western Gazette and The London Free Press (LFP), this band is more than just an extracurricular. Their next goal: CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi chilling on the Amity Beach.“The campaign to get ourselves on Q came from an article James Reaney wrote in the LFP a little while ago,” says Baillie. “There’s a line in our song ‘Barter and Fireworks’ that mentions Ghomeshi, and James picked up on that and suggested that we should be on [the] show when it comes to London in March.” Although the slot’s been filled by Great Lake Swimmers, Amity Beach has garnered enough attention to turn some independent music heads. At CHRW’s Battle of the Bands competition at The Spoke on February 3rd, Amity Beach held their own. Despite being the freshest face, the crowd couldn’t resist the frantic dance-inducing track “A Little Tension.” With a sound as refreshing as ice cream from The Strip (Grand Bend’s vendor-filled stretch leading to the beach), there’s more to be heard beyond the beach. In “Jake’s Version,” Baillie proclaims: “I want to stay living in a dream world/ I got no time to waste on ordinary people.” As a Huron County local, I can proudly say: “Git ‘er dun, boys.” And they will.

issue no.3 / march 2012

a moment with Danielle Fricke Keely McCavitt Frequenting coffee houses and open mics, our very own Danielle Fricke is making a musical name for herself right under our noses. Danielle is a third year BFA student here at Western, whose soothing vocal style is akin to her delicate and intimate studio work. Taking to the web, at first just to share her talent with friends, she has started building up a fan base of fellow music lovers and artists alike. Getting your work out there can be the biggest challenge. Be it music or art, one must work to stand out amongst the crowd and push their way into people’s sight-lines. One way to do so is to get online, and get producing. Youtube isn’t just for cute cat videos anymore. It is a marketplace teeming with new musical talent to be reckoned with. I caught up with Danielle to quickly talk about her experiences with the ever-evolving community that we know as Youtube, and her new album “Hello Little World”. How many online resources do you use to get both your music and your artwork out there? I use three different online resources – Bandcamp, Facebook, and Youtube. How has your experience with Youtube changed the way your make your work? If anything, my experience with Youtube has taught me to have thicker skin. There’s always going to be someone who dislikes what you make, in both art and music, but with Youtube, there’s no arguing for “HELLO LITTLE WORLD” ALBUM COVER your opinion, it’s just there. I’ve learned to create work with the expectation that someone is going to hate it, and as much as it sounds pessimistic, it truly allows for me to be completely honest with myself and not be afraid of failure, when failure is already known. What first drew your attention towards using Youtube as a conduit for your music? I am a fairly quiet person, and I remember the first time I posted a video was to show my friends, “Look, look! I have a talent, I think?” I felt as though I could share this other side that very few people knew about, without initially feeling frightened to play live in front of a crowd. What do you feel is the most important thing about open media? What do you think of the recent SOPA controversy in the States? I feel as though we are at a point where virtually everything could be considered copyright pro14

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DANIELLE FRICKE, UNTITLED, 2012, PHOTOGRAPHY

tected. It’s extremely frightening to think of. I started out by posting covers to Youtube, which helped build a support system of people who enjoy similar music. Taking away that step makes it harder to achieve that community, the support for new creativity, and pushes the industry back quite a few steps. What can you tell us about your album “Hello Little World”? “Hello Little World” is a lovely little collection of songs written between a two-year period. Each song was recorded in my bedroom and features the sounds of a few guitars, a sewing box and sometimes a little dog barking. Being a third year BFA student, how does your studio work influence your music and vice versa? A lot of my studio work deals with aspects of seclusion, or rather events that take place in one’s mind. I take a similar approach when writing music by telling stories, and creating characters that exist within that murky line. I try to build an intimate experience with the viewer/listener. I find this to be much more honest than any every day conversation. It’s when I really feel true. ■

MORE OF DANIELLE’S WORK IS AVAILABLE ON HER YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/DANIELLEFRICKE, AND HER NEW ALBUM “HELLO LITTLE WORLD” MAY BE PURCHASED AT DANIELLEFRICKE.BANDCAMP.COM.

issue no.3 / march 2012

inside the mind of Jesse Jacobs interviewed by Jacqueline Mok Toronto’s comic book store, The Beguiling, is known for carrying a vast selection of comics and graphic novels. They founded and run the annual Toronto Comic Arts Festival, one of the major indie comic shows in North America showcasing underground artists immersed in graphic storytelling. Wandering around the store, I was most enchanted by a modest, hand-sized book propped at the front of the counter. Jesse Jacobs’ “Even The Giants” had an ornate drawing sensibility combined with playful narratives that revolve around the subject of human interaction. We had a friendly encounter at Za Za Zine Fair last December, where I was likely more excited than he knew, and exchanged contacts to discuss the content of his work. What does “Even The Giants” refer to? “Even The Giants” is the title of my first published comic book. It’s a book about two giants wandering around an arctic setting and exploring the animals and each other. I like titles that sound like the beginning of a sentence, like it’s a fraction of a larger idea, which I guess reflects a lot of the shorter strips in the book. Where did your appeal in graphic novels stem from, and what influenced your style of drawing? As a little boy I was always really attracted to interesting drawing. One of my earliest memories involves the Meatloaf album Bat Out of Hell, the one with that painting of a guy on a motorbike blasting out a grave. I remember setting that record up against the wall and just staring at it. Ren and Stimpy was another huge influence. When that show came out I was amazed that drawings could look like that. The Beavis and Butt-head comics, not the show, really influenced me in junior high. Then I started discovering alternative comics. All of these influences have in common an intense attention to detail. In your illustrations and narratives, I have noticed an interest in the relation between an entity and its components. It varies between small beings connecting to a larger form, or an entirety being broken down into parts. Is this for visual interest or other personal curiosities? I would say both. It’s a visual theme I’ve been using for a while, and in fact my newest book explores it even farther. I enjoy building up shapes and breaking them down into infinitely smaller parts. I like the idea of fractals, and though I don’t possess a particularly scientific mind, I’m interested in particle physics and looking at subatomic particles. Size is so relative and I like to try to convey that in some of my drawings. The visual language of the main narrative is presented in a storyboard manner: clear and clean-cut into sections. However, it is interrupted with segments such as One Million Mouths and other single-panel drawings that are more fluid and dynamic. Sentences are IMAGES COURTESY OF JESSE JACOBS, FROM HIS BOOK “EVEN THE GIANTS”, 2010

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issue no.3 / march 2012

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issue no.3 / march 2012

inside the mind of Jesse Jacobs sometimes presented in a broken manner, as if the character has multiple personas speaking for them. How does your stream of consciousness in creating these mini-narratives differ from the main storyline? When I’m making comics there is always a danger of getting bored in drawing the same stuff over and over. I aim to keep the book as visually interesting as possible for both the reader and myself. Otherwise I wouldn’t finish anything. In “Even the Giants” it helped keep things interesting for me to break away from the arctic scenes and draw some stuff that was completely different, in both visual terms and in the writing. Making the shorter comics was more immediate and experimental and drawing them brought a balance to the process. One Million Mouths provide playful interpretations of the banal. Can you provide insight behind the process of taking an idea from the everyday and creating something fantastical with it? My approach varied from strip to strip. Some of them began with a visual idea, while other ones started as a few sentences from my notebook. A lot of those little stories feature a voice that is upset about something trivial so I often would begin with a scenario and draw/write around that. Some of those things were drawn years ago, and I don’t even remember making them. London has its own niche of artists that are also interested in an immediate graphic drawing aesthetic. How has the London community benefited you? There is a lot of interesting work going on, which I guess I didn’t expect to find when I moved here but I didn’t know anything about London. It’s definitely been an inspiration, to meet guys like Marc Bell and Peter Thompson who draw so well. It’s also been very helpful to live so near Toronto. Your new book, “By This You Shall Know Him”, is being released this year at the Toronto Comic Arts Festival. What should we know about it? It’s quite a bit different than my last book. It’s a self-contained 80-page story about these weird alien entities that create all kinds of things. There are a lot of weird plants and animals and also a whole lot of strange shapes. A lot of the book is an exploration of shapes and patterns, which I loosely tie into the overall narrative. It’s being published by Koyama press and will be released in early May. ■ COVER OF THE UPCOMING BOOK AVAILABLE IN MAY 2012

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Treasures of Colombia: Museum of Modern Art of Cartagena Gina Duque My family and I had the opportunity to visit my birthplace of Colombia over the holidays. During our three-week stay, we enjoyed a scenic tour through not only my hometown, and we were able to indulge and explore the wonders of Cartagena, a UNESCO World Heritage city located on the northern coast of Colombia. Famous for its exquisitely preserved colonial architecture and crystal clear waters surrounding its islands, I was also hoping to catch a glimpse of Colombian art for inspiration and also perhaps to understand my cultural history and its influences on my art. Out of the few galleries and museums I visited, many presented fresh and thought provoking exhibits. However the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena was one that stood out in my mind due to its large, astonishing body of work donated by many national and internationally renowned contemporary Latin American artists. Most of the works in the exhibit were composed of paintings, drawings and sculptures. Embedded within the stylistic, conceptual, and formal properties of these works, influences can be traced to American and European art movements as well as deep influences from Colombian culture, society and environment, with a specially heavy Caribbean influence. In Enrique Grau’s 1957 work “Mesa Con Brisero” there is a clear influence of Picasso and Braque’s works and the European Cubist movement. Other works have prominent patriotic influences, evident with his 1998 painting ‘Panoramica de Cartagena,’ depicting a panoramic aerial view of Cartagena, featuring the city’s architecture, cultural traditions and flora and fauna. Being a painter myself, I found a special interest in the many paintings exhibited, particularly the abstract works. A principal focus in my art has always centered around my passion for brilliant color and as I stood before these works, I saw this brilliance being reflected in almost every painting. It finally became clear to me that my attraction to bright colors has been in my ancestry and blood all along! I was astonished by the luminous, complex yet almost lyrical color relationships and textures that I can’t help but feel have been inspired by the beautiful surroundings of nature and architecture as well as the contagious joyful attitude of its people I experienced while there. One of my favorite paintings in the exhibit was Carlos Jacanamijoy’s “ventana de un rio” or “window to the river” painting. His varied mark-making gestures and warm color palette allow the painting to hover between the representational and abstract. It is nearly impossible for me to discuss all the amazing works I encountered that have inspired my art practice, so if you are interested in Latin American art, I encourage you to look further into these artists well as the Museum of Modern Art in Cartagena. I found their collection to be as rich in its content as it is in the variety of international Latin American artists. My hope is that you as an art aficionado are provided with unique opportunities to travel and experience the art that is being done around the world because each new culture introduces its new perspectives, ideologies and creative forms of expression that might just ignite your artistic fire.

issue no.3 / march 2012

TOP: HI DADDY, 2011, MIXED MEDIA / ABOVE: THE LITTLE KING, 2011, MIXED MEDIA

pulpprofile / Lido Pimienta interviewed by Emily Fister Name: Lido Pimienta Occupation: Spanglish Artist/Musician Your artwork deals with themes of childhood whimsy. Have you ever produced anything with a nightmarish quality? Yes, I think that all the time in my work there is a dark undertone. Although a nightmare in my head might be different to your nightmares… The piece where your character is at a party really stuck with me when I saw your talk at the Forest City Gallery. Are there any specific awkward social moments you would like to capture? Would you do a series based on this aesthetic? Indeed yes, I am certainly completing a series of socially awkward moments. Some are less awkward than others. I am working on a piece right now, an art exhibit scene, and the great thing about it is that none of the characters are actually looking at the art. It’s kind of how I see the art world now. Nobody really cares about it. How does your life as a musician and songwriter feed into your artistic practice, and vice versa? I don’t know. I just sing while I am doing the dishes or sing while I paint a picture. It’s all the same thing inside my brain. If you could explore another artistic medium, what would it be and why? I would like to be the voice for a cartoon or animation character. I want to do it because I can make crazy sounding voices and if I am the voice for a cartoon my son likes, I would always be cool for him. I have dreams in which I am a character in Adventure Time. Ohhh gooddiiieeeee! A girl can only dream… If your art could talk or sing, would it do so in Spanish or in English? Spanglish. Any current books/music/artwork that inspires your work right now? I read lots of art blogs and fashion magazines. I don’t really watch any TV series, but I do love bad shows like Jersey Shore—those pathetic realities and cries for help inspire my work a lot. I think I am trying to recreate those emotions I get when I see these TV shows. When I want to get started with something I look at what my peers are doing, like my pal Kyle Mowat, this girl Mia Christopher, and this other chick called Gemma Correll. Thanks so much! Hope you have a stellar weekend. You too. Take me out for ice cream or something. issue no.3 / march 2012

TOP: EVERYDAY TAKES FIGURING OUT ALL OVER AGAIN HOW TO FUCKIN’ LIVE, 2009, FOLDED PAPER, 72”X60”X120” ABOVE LEFT: THE JOB’S THE JOB 5 (SINK), 2011, FOLDED PAPER, 14”X10”X4” ABOVE RIGHT: SO IT GOES 6 (TOILET), 2011, PAPER AND ACRYLIC MOUNTED ON WOOD, 29”X20”

pulpprofile / Robert Williams interviewed by Stephanie Stehr Name: Robert Williams Occupation: Lecturer (Drawing/Painting) You have a range of different mediums you have worked with, do you have a favourite and if so why? If we’re talking about paint then my favourite type is acrylic. I like how quickly acrylics dry and how many layers I can build up in a relatively short amount of time. I also prefer working on stretched water colour paper because I like how the paper absorbs the paint in early layers. Even though most of the early layers get completely covered up by the end they have an effect on the reactive decision-making process I use as I build up my paintings. If we’re talking mediums more generally then I like making my paper models best. But I like them for reasons that are closer to having a hobby than anything else. I make them during the breaks I take from painting when paintings become maddening. The models help me clarify my thoughts on what it is I’m trying to do with painting. But I have a hard time defending the paper stuff as anything more than having fun. Your work with paper looks extremely tedious and time consuming, is this a large part of the process for you? What exactly does your method and process look like for these particular works? The process changes as I try different things but in general I start with an image that is correct in terms of linear perspective (sometimes it’s a drawing and sometimes it’s a photograph). Using a system of measurement that is half geometry and half estimation I build out the image in three dimensions. I try to keep a single vantage point in mind and try to create a facade that will make illusionistic sense. It requires a lot of measuring and cutting but if they look time consuming that’s where the trickery is. If I don’t get distracted I could build a small paper model in an evening. The most difficult part is making a single surface (it is all done with the same paper) seem like different objects. But as my repertoire slowly expands these things become easier to execute. Good lighting doesn’t hurt either. It seems like a lot of your work deals with multiple images or a ‘recycling’ of the same images (like the paintings of your paper scenes), what do these translations mean to you? That’s a fairly loaded question and one that I think about often--sometimes to crippling effect. The shortest way to answer that is to say that I think approaching a subject from multiple angles allows me to more clearly define the questions I have about representation.

issue no.3 / march 2012

/////// Warming Up To Oberhofer – HEART  Heartbreak always sounds better with a few piano trills. Oberhofer’s latest single is the bombastic leadup to his debut, Time Capsules II. While he’s not aiming for rock opera status, Oberhofer’s emotional, disoriented brand of pop tells a captivating narrative. “HEART” crescendos, decrescendos, and then explodes with orchestral accompaniment. The end plays out like a waltz on a Victoria, worn out and tired from the masterpiece that just unfolded.

 Bear in Heaven –  Tycho – A Walk The Reflection of You Looking to escape the cold? San Francisco based musician Scott Hansen’s most recent album Dive sounds like a warm sunset. Good speakers required.

With a name like Bear in Heaven, you know that you’re going to be in for some serious psychedelic psychosis. On this new track, the Brooklyn band plays with different textures of sound and revels in a Washed Out-esque pop trip. Jon Philpot’s vocals soar and soothe over a delicate layer of synths: “I want to run to you, but my legs won’t respond.” The spacious sound is paralyzing, entrancing the listener until the final call to “dance with me.” become your favourite reoccurring dream.

Sóley – Pretty Face  Sóley Stefánsdóttir, another wonder from Iceland, recently put out her album We Sink, which is filled with soft piano and unique vocals. There’s a gripping tension between something mournful and something hopeful in her sound that makes it impossible not to get blissfully lost in her music. 26

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Sultry Sounds /////// Gotye – Bronte  Wouter De Becker, stage name pronounced (go-tea-yay), is an exceptionally diverse musician. He plays multiple instruments, sings and writes his own music. “Bronte” off his most recent album Making Mirrors is like a soft lullaby that will make you feel like frolicking through an enchanted forest.

Spacy – La Quai de la Redemption  Sophisticated rap is a French delicacy. Parisian rapper Spacy bridges the language boundary with his silky swagger, showcased in his eye-catching video for “La Quai de la Redemption.” The tune features Anglophone typography and graphics, following the young MC on a cobblestone adventure. Not only is Spacy classy, he’s also rather sassy. Only the French can make swears sound eloquent and earth shattering, especially compared to something like Nicki Minaj’s

 Grimes – Genesis Grimes’ vocal delivery is bewitching, like multiple personalities chanting and enchanting. On “Genesis,” the latest glimpse at the Montreal singer’s full-length Visions, she explores an intricate combination of old-school keyboards and Eastern inspired synths. The result isn’t gimmicky, it’s glorious and escapist. Where Grimes takes her audience is unknown, but it feels as if this track could inspire interpretive dances at her shows.

 Baths – Lovely Bloodflow Twenty-two year old Will Wiesenfeld is a sound-layering guru. He records things like the sounds of clicking pens and folding blankets to accompany his falsetto vocals. He sort of has a Sigur Ros/Bjork thing going on, but his music is still totally unique and fluid. You probably won’t be able to sit still listening to this song. CONTRIBUTIONS BY EMILY FISTER AND STEPHANIE STEHR

issue no.3 / march 2012

a commentary on SOPA, Piracy, and Freedom of Speech Mark Oberemk The internet is big. Unimaginably so, in fact, to find a cause that could unite such a disparate crowd seems unimaginable. And yet an American bill, SOPA—an acronym for House Bill 3261, or the Stop Online Piracy Act—had much of the internet up in arms. The bill, introduced by Texas senator Lamar Smith on October 26th, 2011, went largely unnoticed and unreported by the world at large. It only came into the public eye in November of 2011, but once it did the internet went berserk. In response, many websites spent the day of March 18th, 2012 offline, but for a simple protest page detailing why they were down and where to get more information. Some of the more notable participants included Wikipedia, Craigslist, Reddit, and the Mozilla foundation. Other sites, including heavyweights like Google, eBay, and Wired magazine altered their pages in some way to indicate their opposition. But why do this? In the cases of certain international organizations, such as the Wikimedia foundation, many might wonder why such a bill would matter when it is an American bill. The bill is targeted at stopping intellectual property violations supposedly engendered by foreign sites. Any site that either copyright holders or the US Department of Justice found to be enabling copyright violation would be in violation of the act, and a court injunction could be filed against it unless they could explain how they were not in violation. Any court injunction filed against a site would then result in two things: one, any ad networks running ads on that site would be required to cease payments to the site, and two, DNS providers would be required to remove the site from its listing; the site no longer being accessible via the domain name and instead only accessible from the numerical IP address. This is important because much of the internet is, to a degree, American. As shown by Alexa.com’s rankings, eight of the top ten websites in terms of traffic are American, which placed them firmly under the jurisdiction and control of American authorities. Further, the onus of avoiding infringement was placed firmly upon the owners of the website and not upon its users. For user-based sites like Facebook, this would require the sites to examine and verify all content posted on these sites to ensure that they are not infringing on American copyright, lest they be hit by such an injunction. Song lyrics, for instance, or any other recognizable part of a copyrighted work could then be cause for an injunction against the site. Many parts of this bill are controversial; one is the definition used for “foreign” websites. Specifically, if the domain name is purchased from a company located within the United States (.com or .org websites, for instance) then it is considered a foreign website By this definition then, many foreign websites, such as, ThePirateBay.org, (one of the sites this bill was meant to target), are labeled as “domestic” and many domestic websites are considered to be “foreign” based entirely on their domain name. In fact, the original draft did not even have this requirement, targeting all websites regardless of their country of origin. 28

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WIKIPEDIA’S PARTICIPATION IN A BLACKOUT EVENT ON 18 JAN 2012 IN PROTEST OF SOPA/PIPA LEGISLATIONS

Another issue is the way in which it requires prior restraint of freedom of speech. By making websites responsible to police their own content in an effort to prevent infringement, it radically departs from the currently existing system where all policing efforts had to be conducted by copyright holders. While this requirement may not be explicit prior restraint, it is impossible to imagine a way of implementing them that would not act as such. Even examining these packets would be in its own way a massive invasion of privacy. In the end, the bill itself would be ineffective at the task it seeks to perform. Its intended targets would continue operation regardless, still accessible purely via IP address. In fact, many tools already exist that can bypass any such restrictions, such as the TOR network (funded in part by the US government as a tool to escape information oversight in oppressive regimes) that would circumvent or sidestep any injunction entirely. That it would stop piracy is questionable at best; anyone who truly wanted to get free content would likely have found a way around such minor inconveniences, or simply given up on the matter altogether. As a way of preventing and punishing copyright infringement it would likely have failed entirely, punishing or outright destroying more legitimate websites than illegitimate ones. So how should creators seek to protect themselves from infringement if not through bills like SOPA? It seems that the best way of protecting one’s work is to make it easily and cheaply accessible to the consumer. Services like iTunes and Netflix give the consumer convenience on par with piracy, while still rewarding artists. Encouraging and expanding services like these and providing a better product legally than pirates will always be more effective against piracy than broad, exploitable legislation like SOPA. That it failed is likely in the best interest of the internet as a whole, as it acted more as a sledgehammer that could be turned against any number of sites, copyrightinfringing or not, than any sort of useful legal tool. There are better ways than Orwellian legislation to solve the piracy problem; it merely takes the drive to seek to find them. ■

issue no.3 / march 2012

Larry Towell: Displacing Identity “People are made up of where they come from, especially if they come from the country.”

Kasia Knap

This is what Larry Towell told me when I asked about the theme of landlessness that much of his practice depends on, which is especially pertinent to his recent work highlighting the conflict in Gaza, Afghanistan, the West Bank, and in Lebanon. With their homes under siege for years, the Palestinian people have experienced humiliation caused by the perpetual loss of their identity. The images that Towell shot of the war in the Middle East capture the immediacy of this plight, offering an intimate look into the ongoing developments of the war being waged. He photographs people’s lives, people he often doesn’t know, yet he employs empathy when photographing, refraining from viewing the people in his photos as mere subjects. This past month, London played gracious host to Towell’s provocative works at several venues, providing many opportunities for the arts community to learn more about his practice, which opened many discussions on the nature of his work. Larry Towell is a Canadian photographer based in Brothwell, the first Canadian to become a member of the Magnum Photos group. He has published many photographic books about conflicts in different countries, including El Salvador and the after effects of Hurricane Katrina. Most of his work is generally developed in black and white. When asked about this choice in presentation, Towell acknowledged this as an investment of love, considering colour photography as frequently too commercial. The vast majority of his work currently exhibited in London, both at the Michael Gibson Gallery and at Museum London, display this aesthetic preference. Having adopted a long-term documentary style, the duration of a single project generally takes a decade to complete, a dedication his photographs in no way attempt to conceal. At the Michael Gibson Gallery in March, Towell’s solo show “Close to Home” depicted the charm of pastoral living. One series captured the rustic allure of Lampton County, Ontario, in which he photographed his wife, children, and sisters; the other offered a glimpse into the rural life of the Mennonites in Mexico that strongly recalled a pioneering period. Both series shared the common tie that people have to their homes, the works possessing a sense of nostalgic reverence for these places but joined with the looming threat of eventual displacement. I felt a connection to the agrarian images of Towell’s family farm. The seemingly banal imagery is pleasantly familiar to me since it resembled my own grandmother’s farm. Possessing an implied narrative and overt sense of drama, the photos are unusually immersive. A single image sometimes keeps a viewer spellbound, a quality I haven’t before attributed to photography because of the medium’s accessibility and dissemination of aesthetics. Having opened to the public on March 21st and remaining on exhibit until April 1st, Larry Towell’s “Danger and Aftermath” currently occupies the Moore and Volunteer Galleries at Museum London. Most of the images possess a candid quality, a spontaneity woven into the thread of the frozen 30

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LARRY TOWELL, MY SISTERS, DOROTHY AND SHELLEY, 1974, GELATIN SILVER PHOTOGRAPH

tableaus that imbue them with movement and urgency. The people portrayed are characterized with fluid tension rather than as static, immoveable objects. The first set of photographs I stopped to observe during the opening reception were three archival digital prints of destroyed oil containers, the metal exteriors of which uncannily resembled black leather. From the perspective at which Towell shot them, they appeared larger than life, massive sooty ox hides undulating in wave-like structures, replicating a tumultuous oceanic war surface. Another wall nearby holds several images of somber women, each holding up photos of men they likely loved, each man holding a gun. One woman hid her face with this photo. While the majority of the exhibition focuses on the plight of the Palestinians, there are also works that seek to highlight the fear of the American military personnel. Graffiti scrawled on the dirty walls of bathroom stalls showed a collective conscience pushing for escape, counting down the days ‘til they could leave: “58 days left”, “I hate this place, two and a half months to go”; the impromptu lavatory collages didn’t shy away from personal views on the American president either. While all the photographs were striking, one image in particular, “Kabul; Woman selling Glamour Magazines” (2010), drew my attention more than the others. Situated in front of a bench in the gallery space was this large fiber print photograph of a Muslim woman, fully masked in a heavy cloth from head to foot. She stood amid the backdrop of a bleak town in partial ruins, pavement and surrounding buildings crumbling, the sky leering and overcast. It wasn’t these elements that halted my round of the exhibit though, it was what this woman was doing. In her left arm she cradled a pile of women’s glamour magazines, Kate Winslet smiling seductively out at the onlooker on the first of this pile. The woman’s right hand waved another at the camera, another actress on issue no.3 / march 2012

Larry Towell: Displacing Identity

VIEWING TOWELL’S PHOTOGRAPHS AT MUSEUM LONDON / IMAGE COURTESY OF HILARY SMITH

this one as well. The cloaked woman was trying to peddle these magazines, but who would buy them? The juxtaposition of the nature of the magazines and the woman’s covering was stark and resonant, an almost sickening clash of opposing morals. It was the most disconsolate image in the show. It wasn’t unequivocally shocking or didn’t capture an abrasive violence like many of the other images, but it spoke more subtly to the societal restrictions placed on women in Afghanistan, painting it disturbing. I sat in front of this image for at least 20 minutes. The opening of the exhibitions commenced with several speeches introducing the various featured artists; Larry Towell was one of the speakers. He filled the bulk of his speech by thanking a number of people of whom he was greatly indebted to. He told the congregation of about 150 that without these talented individuals he wouldn’t have been able to produce this series of work. And it is true, he wouldn’t have been able to without their leadership and political decisions. He thanked the leaders of countries who manufactured and exported landmines to Afghanistan; Afghanistan has up to 10 billion landmines at present. He thanked the CAA. He thanked Ronald Regan. He thanked Bush. He thanked Obama, too. A photo-journalistic approach to documenting war is not something that’s new to me. I’ve seen many phenomenal photos that brilliantly captured the violence, grief, and disease of armed conflict in civil war. What made some of these images differ from previous ones I had seen was the intimacy they translate. The viewer is much removed, by default, from the experience depicted in the images. Living in North America, having the luxury of going to a sanctioned institution to see these pictures makes them a sort of fiction. Most people here haven’t experienced the horrors of war, and it’s not something that you can say you understand. However, when you realize that Towell was in the thick of the situation, not metres away from, for instance, a man being struck by a soldier, this puts the scene into different perspective. You imagine yourself in the role of the photographer, sharing this same immediate space with the unfolding savagery, and you feel threatened too. I empathized, tried to connect with these two-dimensional photographic renderings of people I didn’t and probably wouldn’t know. But I couldn’t react the way they needed me too, because I wasn’t there. “Danger and Aftermath” was not a feel-good exhibit, not a show that left you marveling at how far we’ve come as people. Instead what it did do was lend a new perspective on the correlation between identity and where you come from, what happens when this bond is made unstable. Hopefully, this show will open a new dialogue that will instigate more proactivity. ■ 32

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/ pulp / open submission

intervention

We are accepting submissions that show an intervention of the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand on a found image. This includes any alteration, such as drawing over top, stitching through the work, erasing selected areas, and collaging with other images. Send in your image by FRIDAY MARCH 16 to PULPARTSMAG@GMAIL.COM for a chance to appear in our next issue.

COLLAGE IMAGE BY OFFICE SUPPLIES INC

Places To Check Out The Sentimentalist Vintage Clothing 394 1/2 Richmond St, N6A 3C7 / 519.854.7976 Open hours: Tue-Sat 12pm-6pm Recently opened over the fall of 2011, the newest of Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vintage shops is one of its greatest. Find unique clothes, jewellery, housewares and other retro odds in wonderful condition and for unbelievable prices, in addition to prints for sale by local artists.

Hyland Cinema

240 Wharncliffe Rd S, N6J 2L4 / 519.913.0313 Check movie showtimes for open hours One of the oldest cinemas in London, Hyland Cinema presents classic films in modern society. Newly renovated and equipped with a great screen, sound system, and lush seating, this venue is the place to go for the latest from worldly film festivals as well.

Heroes Comics

186 Dundas St, N6A 1G7 / 519.439.4955 Open Hours: Mon-Tue 10am-6pm / Wed-Fri 10am-7pm / Open Hours: Sat 10am-6pm / Sun 12pm-5pm New comics, old comics, actions figures, collectible cards, and more are sold right here in Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest comic book store. Stop by to see their collection and relive your childhood favourites.

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